[wdmaudiodev] Re: Mixer API under Vista build 5308

  • From: "Jeff Pages" <jeff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <wdmaudiodev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 13 Apr 2006 14:34:05 +1000

Thanks Frank. I'll compile a list of applications that we're aware of that 
might require this and forward it to Richard.

There are also a couple of applications that would probably be okay with 
Vista's mixer API except they expect to be able to see input and output peak 
meters, which Vista currently isn't virtualising. Is this something that could 
be added easily at this stage?

Jeff
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Frank Yerrace 
  To: wdmaudiodev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 4:05 AM
  Subject: [wdmaudiodev] Re: Mixer API under Vista build 5308


  There's good news and not-so-good news about the current Vista builds.  The 
good news is that we anticipated this problem when we initially designed the 
new Vista audio system, and built in a mixer compatibility mode that will cause 
the mixer APIs to operate much like earlier releases of Windows.  The 
not-so-good news is that there's no really good way for an app to invoke this 
mode to get the compatible behavior.

  Our team now has a high priority work item to add this "mixer compatibility 
mode" to the general Windows Vista legacy operating system compatibility modes. 
For those of you that aren't aware of this feature in Windows XP, users enable 
compatibility mode for an application by right-clicking on the application, 
clicking Properties, clicking the Compatibility tab. If an application does not 
work well with the new mixer API behavior or other Vista-specific operation, 
the user can specify that the application should run in one of these 
compatibility modes (XP, Win2000, Win95, etc).  Of course, as with all plans, 
there is no guarantee that this change will make the final product, but we're 
going to do everything in our power to ensure that it does.

  As our own testing continues and we receive early feedback from communities 
like this, we will identify specific applications that clearly need the mixer 
API to work in compatibility mode (we already have identified some). We will 
pre-configure Vista to automatically run the mixer API in compatibility mode 
for these specific applications.

  If you know of a specific application that needs the mixer API to operate in 
compatibility mode, please send email to Richard Fricks (richfr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx). 
You can forward this message with a description of the application and 
appropriate contact information. Richard will contact you to gather the 
necessary information allowing us to pre-configure Vista to automatically run 
the mixer API in compatibility mode for your application. Furthermore, we would 
like to help you make future releases of the application more Vista-ready.

  We hope this addresses this issue raised by several of you here. Thanks again 
for providing such clear feedback to us.

  By the way, there is a caveat regarding the mixer API behavior here. When 
running in this compatibility mode, the mixer APIs will allow you to directly 
control all the hardware controls reported by the audio driver.  This is NOT 
exactly like the Windows XP behavior.  Windows XP virtualized certain controls 
(like volume or mute) to make them work well with the kernel mode mixing 
architecture in that OS.  On Vista, the mixer API in compatibility mode will 
not virtualize any capabilities of the hardware - it will report exactly what 
the hardware driver reports and nothing more.

  Frank Yerrace & Larry Osterman

  Microsoft Corporation

  This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.



  -----Original Message-----
  From: wdmaudiodev-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
[mailto:wdmaudiodev-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Frank Yerrace
  Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 11:14 AM
  To: wdmaudiodev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  Subject: [wdmaudiodev] Re: Mixer API under Vista build 5308

  We very much appreciate that this community is taking a good look at

  Vista and giving specific feedback like this. Thank you.

  Please give us a couple weeks to study this issue here to see if we can

  offer some alternatives for certain classes of applications like this.

  If you hear nothing more within that timeframe, please raise the issue

  again.



  Frank Yerrace

  Technical Lead

  Microsoft Corporation

  This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no

  rights.



  -----Original Message-----

  From: wdmaudiodev-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

  [mailto:wdmaudiodev-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of stephen turner

  Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 9:26 AM

  To: wdmaudiodev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

  Subject: [wdmaudiodev] Re: Mixer API under Vista build 5308

  I agree with Jeff and Dan -It looks like this is going to be a huge

  problem for professional applications that still use the mixer API and

  expect full control over the h/w.  Is there a way that the audio

  subsystem can be put in a "legacy" mode to make it act like 2000/XP?

  -steve

  ----------------------

  Stephen Turner

  AudioScience, Inc.



  -------- Original Message --------

  > From: "Daniel E. Germann" <deg@xxxxxxxx>

  > Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 7:13 AM

  > To: wdmaudiodev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

  > Subject: [wdmaudiodev] Re: Mixer API under Vista build 5308

  > 

  > We have customers that will have the same problem.  Some are

  broadcast, like 

  > Jeff's, and others use our products for test and measurement

  applications. 

  > Both sets of customers have existing software that expects to access

  the 

  > hardware through the mixer APIs.  In fact, access to the main audio

  fader is 

  > mandatory for the test and measurement app, so they can ensure their

  test 

  > stimulus signal is not attenuated.  Otherwise, it will look to their 

  > software like the response signal has a drop in level.

  > 

  > Is there a white paper that talks about these changes that we could

  pass on 

  > to our customers, so they have a "heads up"?  Most of the public info

  I've 

  > seen so far is in the HD Audio or driver realm.

  > 

  > Thanks,

  > -Dan

  > --

  > Dan Germann

  > Digital Audio Labs

  > 

  > 

  > ----- Original Message -----

  > > From: "Jeff Pages" <barefeet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

  > > To: <wdmaudiodev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

  > > Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 8:31 AM

  > > Subject: [wdmaudiodev] Re: Mixer API under Vista build 5308

  > >

  > >

  > > Thanks Frank. The controls are showing up correctly and are

  functional

  > > under Device Properties as you described.

  > >

  > > My main concern is that our products are targeted at the

  professional

  > > audio market, and many of our customers will be using our cards with

  > > broadcast automation and mixing desk software that expects to find

  these

  > > controls through the mixer API, and the loss of this functionality

  will

  > > seriously impact on our business.

  > >

  > > Jeff

  > 

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